Sky News

Have just seen over at digital spy that the Sky News website was hacked earlier replacing the images of the leaders debate with a image of Rupert Murdoch!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/gordon-brown/6170954/Sky-News-website-sabotaged-by-hacker-with-a-grudge-against-Rupert-Murdoch.html

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01479/sky_1479286c.jpg

Not sure on everyone but Dermot has been filming with his team ahead of some specials next week.

And Colin is on paternity leave

Special hour long Jeff Randall Live from half 7 on Monday with Jeff in London and Anna Jones in New York.

http://www.skypressoffice.co.uk/SkyNews/Resources/showarticle.asp?id=2802&year=2009

I like how people complain when I posted that schedule and they think its just a fantasy. What I posted is what Sky News is proposing, and this special hour long programme is to test the waters for a pernament hour long show for Jeff Randall.

If these are what are being proposed, that means they're going back to double heading, which seems silly as I'm used to it and think it looks more professional. Also, News Now? Please, I couldn't bear that name, and as for bringing back Lunchtime Live, that's just wrong, what was wrong with Afternoon Live. Also, Boulton & Co, Martin Stanford's World and Business World with Jeff Randall all sound like odd names. They're trying to copy what Sky News AU/NZ are doing, when the UK version, in my opinion is ahead in Graphics, Studio and Shows. I mean, they have First Edition, followed by News Now again and again, and then they are watching UK!

I emailed John Ryely a few weeks back and he said there were NO schedule changes being planned at the moment. I think it will be much of the same until the HD relaunch at the earliest.

I don't think the programme names have been finalised. General Sky News bulletins are looking to be called "Sky News Centre" now. Afternoon Live is being scrapped because they want to have a proper Lunchtime show with general news either side of it.

They are also considering removing separate sports and business bulletins, and having fewer sports stories, which may be covered by the main presenter(s). I have heard most of the sports presenters will be staying with Sky News in one way or another. Jacquie Beltrao is being lined up as Eamon's co-presenter on Sunrise. There will be no news summaries in the proposed changes.

Another idea being proposed is to replace the island with a small circular desk on the same platform.

Dermot may be moving to primetime.

Well, he would say that, wouldn't he...but the fact of the matter is that anyone at the top of any business is always looking for more opportunities and openings. This equally applies to sky news as it does to any other.

Sky will have to make a decision soon. CNNI has invested heavily in a prime-time line up that is focused around the European market, this will not have passed unnoticed, least of all at the News Centre. This is a prime-time line up that competes with Sky in two ways. Firstly CNNI too relies heavily on personalities, but draws together both the individual elements of programs and the corporate image of CNN in a far more cohesive manner. Secondly the CNN effort has more depth, and quality as a whole, than Sky's pathetic mess of an excuse, with a real mix of fast paced news, interview, business and voyeuristic behind-the-scenes shows.

Sky News already has what is an established early prime-time line up, with Jeff Randall Live and SkyNews.com, is it really inconceivable that they might take the opportunity of an HD launch to expand such a schedule? Given that, of course the team at sky would be assessing the feasibility of any candidate alterations now, while they are working on the implementation of high definition.

I fthat is true which I BELIEVE IT IS NOT, where would Jeremy Thompson be moving if Dermot is taking over prime-time?

It's again, people not listening. I did not say he would be taking over Jeremy Thompson.

But in the schedule you outlined he is in his current slot?

Must say I don't think this will come to fruition but I do think we will see "opinion" programming in prime time within two years.